The Founders
by Crawler
Summary: One wolf-child. Two evil wizards. Three nice Slytherins. Four clueless heros. Five original founders. The epic sequel to Wolf-Child. WIP
1. Prologue The Past

Well, here it is!  The beginning of the sequel to _Wolf-Child_!  I give you. . . _The Founders_!  Woot!

I must say, big thank you to my little brother.  He walked in here one night with some outrageous idea.  I almost ignored him, like always, but then, something struck me about this idea.  I started to question him.  One thing led to another, and the idea was twisted into this story.  He's kinda like a co-writer, helping me muchly.  THANK YOU SPIBRO!

Don't own them!  Never will either!  But I'm still waiting for the letter saying Lord of the Rings is mine.  It will come, someday, I'm sure of it!

Let's see, warnings?  Tons.  This is a deathfic.  Actually, more like DEATHSfic.  I will kill at least . . . 1, 2, 3, 4 . . .10.  At least ten.  In this story.  Three are dead by the end of this first part; at least I talk about three dead.

And remember, the twins aren't dead.  Nope, not dead.

Yet.

**_The Founders_**

            The light from one flickering candle on a desk was all that illuminated the face of Godric Gryffindor.  The weary wizard was curled up in a chair, glaring at a goblet of wine in front of him.  How much had he already had?  Too much, judging from the headache that was creeping up on him.  Much too much.  Above the unused fireplace, barely visible in the gloom, a picture of five people, three wizards and two witches, hung silently.  All five stared at him, none of them even blinking.  Godric bared his teeth and snarled at them, then downed the goblet.  Why did he care what they thought?  One of them, the plump witch, Helga Hufflepuff, was dead. The oldest wizard, Herdir Hogwarts, a bumbling fool with a brilliant mind was in a deathlike-trance.  He had been ever since Helga's death.  Rowena Ravenclaw, the dark, bewitching beauty, had distanced herself from the rest, locking herself in her study to pour over books and manuscripts.  Salazar Slytherin, the mischievous fourth, had also become withdrawn, at least mentally.  A shadow had darkened over his being, and he no longer cared for the pleasures he once did.

            And what of the fifth?  Godric Gryffindor himself?  When the picture was painted, he had been in the prime of his life, grinning out at the world and daring it to challenge him.  Now he was just a tired drunk.  He cared little for anything, even the school he had somehow been elected head of, after Herdir no longer could hold that position.

            The door burst open.  In a flurry of indigo robes, Rowena dashed into the study.  She pointed her wand at the fireplace.  "_Incendio_!" she cried.  Godric growled at her, rubbing his head.

            "Must you be so loud and bright!?"

            Rowena knelt by him, spreading parchments over the desk.  "Godric, look!  Ignore your hangover and just look!  The rumors of possession, the growing strength of Grindelwald, the dark shadow always around Salazar!"

            Godric squinted at the parchment, willing the spidery script to stay still.  "So?"

            Rowena shook her head in frustration.  "Godric, please!  Pay attention!  Look!"

            Godric stared cross-eyed at a sheet shoved in front of his face.  "I'm looking, I'm looking!  What am I supposed to see?"

            "Salazar has been possessed!  Godric, Grindelwald is controlling Salazar!  Has been controlling Salazar!  But recently, just now, can't you read the signs?  Salazar is fighting it!"

            "And I should care . . . why?"  Everyone knew Godric and Salazar could barely tolerate each other.  There had been a major falling out several years ago, when Salazar didn't have an alibi around the time of Helga's death.  Salazar had ended up leaving the school, but returned at Rowena's pleading.

            Rowena threw the paper aside and grabbed Godric's shoulders, forcing him to face her.  "Godric, the Salazar Slytherin you know and hate isn't the real Salazar Slytherin!  He's being possessed, controlled, by the Dark Wizard Grindelwald!  _Get it through your wine-addled head!_"

            "No need to be so grabby," Godric muttered, trying to stand without falling over.

            "Salazar's in trouble, Godric!  You must help him!  You're the warrior among us, he _needs_ you!"

            "Righty-ho then, off I go.  Where is he again?"  Godric blinked owlishly at Rowena.

            She threw her hands up in frustration, trying not to scream.  "The _dungeons_, you buffoon!  He's always in the dungeons!  Now go!"  Godric managed to make it out the door without falling.  "Hurry!" she screamed, and he sped up to something that vaguely resembled a run.  Once he was out of sight, Rowena sank into his chair with a sigh.  Shuffling some papers around, she noticed something vital Godric had forgotten in her hurry to get him out the door.  His wand.

            Salazar staggered back, dropping to his knees as the curse hit him.  Grindelwald stood before him, wreathed in shadow.  "Do you surrender yet, my dear servant?"

            "I will never surrender to you again!"  Salazar spit a mouthful of blood at Grindelwald.  The Dark Wizard's expression was one of pure fury.

            "Foolish little wizard, you think you can defeat me?"  Another curse hit Salazar, knocking him to the ground.  Salazar's head hit the stone floor with a loud crack.  As the world spun around him, he knew he wouldn't be getting up again, ever.

            Just then the door flew open and Godric staggered in, more then a little drunk.  "Salazar!" he cried, seeing his . . . friend? on the ground, bloody and bruised.  He turned to Grindelwald with a cry of pure rage, lifting his wand hand . . . only to discover he had no wand.  Salazar groaned, wondering when his brave colleague became so forgetful.  Grindelwald laughed.  Godric hit the ground as the killing curse washed over him, and Salazar's world faded to the sound of Grindelwald's maniacal laughter.

            Suddenly, pain lanced through his body.  Salazar writhed and twisted, screaming as unseen flames consumed him.

            Many miles and centuries away, a young wizard woke up screaming at the sensation of flames killing him in his dreams.

~Spider


	2. You're innocent

Yay!  The actual first chapter of _The Founders_ is here!  That other first chapter was just the prequel.  ~grins~

Well, enjoy!  This chapter begins with the end of _Wolf-Child_.  It's short, I'm sorry.

I don't own them, wish I did!

**_The Founders_**

            Several hours after showing up, the Ministry officials announced that the chances of finding George in the rubble that was once the Burrow, dead or alive, were virtually nonexistent.  Either his body had been destroyed or removed from the scene.  There wasn't a stone left unturned.  Draco sat next to Harry, who was hugging Ron.  Ron was holding Fred's hand and crying silently.

            "Is this the end then?" Ron asked.  "Is this how everything's going to end?"

            "No," Draco whispered.  "I fear this is only the beginning."

            "Only the beginning?" Harry asked.  "What does that mean?"

            "It means we're all in a lot of trouble," Blaise sighed, dropping ungracefully next to Draco.  "Obviously, you're all targeted by Voldemort, or Fudge, or whoever the latest evil guy is.  Draco and I are as good as dead for being here and talking to you, "compromising our positions" as they call it.  Fred _is_ dead, George is probably wishing he was dead, and we have three Death Eaters watching us."

            "Only two now," Draco said, muttering a curse under his breath as he hide his wand again.  "And they're running.  We _are_ dead."

            "Dead?" James asked, coming up behind them.  "Why would you be dead?"

            Blaise peered up at the older man.  "Oh, I don't know," he said sarcastically.  "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that two Death Eaters are running to Moldy to tell him Draco and I are traitors and have attacked another of them.  Would that count?"

            "Play nice, vampire," Draco chided him lightly.  Blaise hissed and snapped at Draco's wagging finger.

            James frowned.  "So you can't go home?"  Both boys shook their heads.  "Well, why don't you come stay with us then?  Remus is talking to Arthur, inviting all the Weasleys to stay.  I'm sure we can find room for you.  Besides, our house is almost as protected as Hogwarts.  No one wants to risk harm befalling Harry."

            "Oh, heaven forbid _anyone_ tries to compromise Harry's safety," Blaise spat, digging into the rubble absently.  "No one wants _any_ harm befalling our own little hero, the Boy-Who-Lived!"

            "Calm yourself, vampire, you're tired.  Close your mouth before you bite someone."  Draco frowned at Blaise, who turned away.

            Harry twisted his fingers in Noko's hair.  He bit his lip, wondering if his dad was making a wise decision in letting Blaise and Draco stay with them.  Draco he trusted.  Ever since that one incident in the Chamber, Harry felt like he could trust Draco with his life.  It was Blaise, Blaise the part-vampire, that he was wary of.  A nagging voice in his head said Blaise would be responsible for the deaths of people he loved.

            Sirius touched Harry's shoulder gently.  "Harry?  You okay?"

            "I'm fine."  Harry shrugged Sirius' hand off, staring at Blaise.  "Just peachy."

            "Peachy?  Since when did you say peachy?"

            "Since Fred died," Harry spat, standing up and stomping off.  James stopped Sirius from pursuing.

            "Siri, remember when you thought _I_ was dead?  Did you want your father or uncle chasing you around?  Harry's feeling that now.  Give him some time alone, he needs it."

            Sirius shook his head.  "Somehow you always were better at emotions then me."

            "I was married to a female.  You never stayed close enough to one at a time for them to rub off on you."

            Sirius managed a weak smile, his gaze drawn down to Fred's still form.  "I can't believe they're both gone.  Fred dead, George missing . . . it's like a nightmare you can't wake up from.  They were so much like us, Jamie!  They were so young!"

            Remus came up and hugged Sirius from behind.  "We'll find George.  If they wanted to kill him, they would have already done so.  Nothing more can be done for Fred. . ."

            Blaise poked Fred lightly, drawing a moan from the red-head.  "Uh, actually, Professor . . ."

            Ron made a sound that sounded like a cross between a sob and a squeal, throwing his arms around Fred.  "You're alive!  You're alive!"  Noko whooped, and the rest of the Weasleys came running.

            Mrs. Weasley practically shoved Ron away, crushing Fred to her.  Ginny and Percy managed to grab him from the other side, doing the best to force the rest of the air out of his lungs.  Mr. Weasley, noticing Fred was starting to turn blue, pulled them off.  "Give him some air!  You'll kill him doing that!"

            "Fred, Fred, oh love, you're alive!  What happened to you, Fred?  What happened?"  Mrs. Weasley pulled Fred back into a hug, but not nearly as tight as before.  Fred coughed a little and rubbed his eyes.

            "I feel like I got run over by a rampaging dragon.  What happened?"

            Draco stood and walked over to Harry as the Weasleys tried to fill Fred in.  "Harry?  What's wrong?  Fred's okay, you don't have to worry about that, and Remus is right, George isn't dead, or else we would have found him."

            Harry looked up at the stars, visible now that the Dark Mark had faded.  "Draco?  Do you ever get the feeling that you're meant to do something else?  Something . . . something _more_?"

            "Not really," Draco answered.  "But if it'll make you feel better, I'll tell you this.  You are meant to do something more, just not yet.  You'll know when the time comes.  You're on the right path, Harry, don't worry.  The future will fall into place."

            Harry looked sideways at Draco, noticing the blond boy was looking at the stars now.  "Divination, Draco?"

            Draco shrugged.  "Read it in a book, changed a couple words.  Did it make you feel better?"

            "Not really."

            "Well, it was worth a shot."

            Noko squealed and ran away from the Weasleys, all of whom were suddenly looking murderous, except for Fred, who was laughing.  She tore over to Harry and Draco, climbing up them to cling to their necks, trembling.  All her fur was sticking up, making her lupine half look like a puff ball.  "Help!"

            Draco tried to pry her fingers off of Harry's throat, only to have them wrap around his own.  Harry managed to get her off him and pushed her into Draco's arms.  "Noko?  What's wrong?  Why do you need help?"  Noko only trembled and buried her face in Draco's shoulder.

            "They tie to kill me!" she whimpered.

            Remus strode over and pulled Noko from Draco.  He held her up, ignoring her squirms as she tried to get free.  "Noko, did you _know_ that drink was a poison?"

            "No," she whispered.

            "Did you have any idea what it was?"

            "I tought it was waer."

            Remus hugged Noko and handed her back to Draco.  "Okay then, you're innocent."

            "What?"  Harry asked.  "What was it?"

            Remus shook his head.  "It seems Fred asked Noko if she could get him a drink, and she gave him a poison Percy was using in his work.  She thought it was water.  It put Fred in a death-like trance.  He wasn't aware of anything until the poison wore off.  Luckily, it wasn't very strong and he didn't drink much."

            Draco hugged Noko.  "Mr. Potter invited Blaise and me to stay with you, Professor.  May we?"

            Remus nodded.  "Of course you can!  That is, if. . ." he trailed off, glancing over at Harry, who nodded.  They could be trusted.  "Of course."

            Ron, Draco, and Blaise stood in Harry's room later that night, watching as Harry whipped pillows and sheets onto a spare bed that had been set up.  "Draco and Blaise, you can sleep here.  Ron, you can share my bed, if that's alright with everyone. . ."

            The other three assured him that was fine, and Harry smiled, tiredly.  Across the hall, Percy and Fred were getting ready for bed in James' room.  Mr. and Mrs. Weasley shared the guest room.  Ginny slept in Noko's room, and Sirius and Remus were together in theirs.

            After they all were in their beds, Harry turned the lights off.  Blaise fell asleep immediately, but his dreams were soon haunted by specters of the past.

_Blaise staggered back, dropping to his knees as the curse hit him.  Grindelwald stood before him, wreathed in shadow.  "Do you surrender yet, my dear servant?"_

_            "I will never surrender to you again!"  Blaise spat a mouthful of blood at Grindelwald.  The Dark Wizard's expression was one of pure fury._

_            "Foolish little wizard, you think you can defeat me?"  Another curse hit Blaise, knocking him to the ground.  His head hit the stone floor with a loud crack.  As the world spun around him, he knew he wouldn't be getting up again, ever._

_Just then the door flew open and Godric staggered in, more then a little drunk.  "Salazar!" he cried, seeing his . . . friend? on the ground, bloody and bruised.  He turned to Grindelwald with a cry of pure rage, lifting his wand hand . . . only to discover he had no wand.  Blaise groaned, wondering when his brave colleague became so forgetful.  Grindelwald laughed.  Godric hit the ground as the killing curse washed over him and Blaise's world faded to the sound of Grindelwald's maniacal laughter._

_            Suddenly, pain lanced through his body.  Blaise writhed and twisted, screaming as unseen flames consumed him._

See?  Fred's not dead, like I said!

I know this chapter was short, but you won't believe how hard it was to get out!  Hopefully the next one is longer, and comes sooner.

Did you guess Blaise as the wizard who had the dream in the first part?

~Crawler


	3. Feelings, Accidents, and Memories

Alright, next part is here.

Now first I must apologize, I didn't give my brother any credit for the last chapter, he got mad at me.  HE'S HELPING ME, EVEN IF I DON'T SAY HE IS.  Helped a few things in this chapter too.

Now, you may notice the repetition of blades, symbolizing the author's hatred for society in general and people with blades in specific. . . never mind me, I hate analyzing literature.  There are a lot of blades because that helps the story.  Besides, they're simple, they're easy, they're fun to run around with. . . .

Don't own em, never will, but one day I'll have my own set of famous people to play with, and then everyone else will try to play with them without my permission.  But as long as JKR and JRRTolkien let me play with theirs, I won't complain when people play with mine.

Oh, and italics are the little voice in Blaise's head.  It happens to the best of us sometimes.

**_The Founders_**

            Blaise woke up screaming.  He couldn't remember where he was, the room he was in was completely unfamiliar to him.  A hand clamped over his mouth, an arm wrapped around his waist, pinning his flailing arms to his sides.  Blaise struggled against his captor, nipping and biting at the hand on his mouth.  He heard movement, then the lights flicked on.   Blinking in the bright light, Blaise stopped struggling.  He was in Harry's room, Draco was holding him tightly.  Already a black eye was starting to show on the other boy's pale face.  Harry stood by the door, one hand on the light switch.  Ron was sitting up in his bed, looking panicked.

            "Is everyone alright?" Harry was the first to speak.  "Draco?  What happened to your face?"

            Draco released Blaise and touched his eye gingerly.  "Blaise hit me in his sleep, nothing serious, it'll be fine."

            "Blaise?" Harry asked.  "What happened?"

            Blaise couldn't meet Harry's eyes.  He wanted to leap out of his bed, to hug Harry tight and cry "You're alive, you're alive!" over and over, for no apparent reason.  He wanted to feel Harry pull him into a one-armed hug, ruffling his hair and saying he understood perfectly what was going on, and that everything would work out.  He wanted Harry to sit him down and explain these visions he'd been having, and he wanted Harry to explain why he wanted Harry to explain everything.  Instead he just grit his teeth and mumbled, "Just a bad dream, nothing to worry about."

            Harry frowned.  Something in Blaise's voice told him that wasn't all that was bothering him.  "Blaise?"  There was that feeling again, that cold hand that squeezed his heart, that knowledge that somehow, somewhere, Blaise was going to kill someone he loved.  The cold hand was gone, instantly replaced with fatherly concern.  Wait.  Fatherly concern?  Where did that come from?  He was only fifteen!  What was it with these weird feelings?

            Blaise tensed.  He wanted to cry out that it wasn't just a bad dream, that it was all real, that it was going to happen again, but he didn't.  Divination was all a load of rubbish anyway.  This wasn't a vision, just a dream.  _But you know it's not_.  That voice.  Blaise covered his ears, trying to block out that voice.  He hated it, he did.  It was the voice of the wizard who kept killing him in his dream.  It was the voice of Voldemort, who he'd only heard once.  It was the voice of Lucius Malfoy, when he overheard the man talking about his evil plans.  He hated it.  _You can't hide from me, Slytherin brat_.  "Stop it," he whispered.  "Just go away."

            "Blaise?"  This time it was Draco, Draco looking at him funny, Draco reaching for him . . .

            "Stop it!" Blaise screamed, slapping at Draco's hand.  "Leave me alone!  I just want to be alone!"  Blaise ran from the room without a backwards glance.

            Ron, Draco, and Harry all moved to chase after him.  No sooner had Ron stood up then a harsh summer wind blew in through the open window.  As the three watched, the ancient sword Remus had found somewhere and hung on the wall near Harry's bed slipped loose and fell forward.

            The blade sliced into the pillow where Ron's head had been moments earlier.  Harry shuddered, feeling that cold hand again.  Suddenly, Sirius, Remus, and James all burst through the door, wands raised.

            "What's wrong, Dad?" Harry asked.  Lily floated through them and peered around the room.

            "Whoever it was, they're gone now . . . Oh!  Jamie, look at the bed!  The sword!  That's where the fresh trace magic is!"

            Trace magic.  Harry's eyes widened.  His mum had mentioned being able to see trace magic when he first met her as a ghost.  Trace magic was left behind when a spell was cast, kind of like a fingerprint.  Unfortunately, trace magic only gave a slight hint at the type of spell used, not who used it.  Ghosts were also the only beings who could see trace magic naturally, although professional wizards were working on a spell to reveal trace magic.  If fresh trace magic was on the sword, then it didn't fall in the wind naturally.  Someone had tried to kill Ron or him.

            "A levitation spell, by the looks of it," Lily said, running her fingers through the hilt.  "What happened here, boys?  Is anyone hurt?"

            "No one, Mrs. Potter," Ron said.  "We were lucky; I had just gotten up when the sword fell.  After Blaise ran out, a wind blew in and knocked the sword.  If I hadn't gotten up to chase after Blaise, I would have been killed."  His eyes were wide as he stared at the sword.  Harry shifted nervously, feeling that cold hand squeeze a bit harder.

            A scream came from downstairs, then the sound of glass shattering.

            Blaise ran into the kitchen, trying to escape the voice.  He ran into the window, resting his forehead against the cool glass and panting.  _Gryffindor's dead now_ the evil voice in his head cackled.  Blaise's eyes widened "Oh no!" he whispered.  "That can only mean. . ."  _Oh yes,_ the voice was definitely enjoying this too much.  _You're next._

            In the window, Blaise saw movement.  Someone was behind him.  He turned around and saw Fudge brandishing a large chef's knife and grinning evilly.  As Fudge flung it at him and vanished, Blaise screamed.

            Noko and Ginny, being the closest, were the first ones in the kitchen.  "Oh . . ." was all they could say, staring at the scene before them.  Blaise stood, tense and rigid, back to what used to be a large kitchen window.  His eyes were shut tightly and on his face was an expression of fear.  Other then a few minor cuts, he seemed alright.  The same couldn't be said for the window.  Glass littered the floor and the ground outside.  A kitchen knife was embedded in a tree right outside the window, just a hair's width to the right of Blaise's head.

            Looking at Blaise more closely, Ginny noticed his right ear was cut and bleeding.  She was about to step forward, but James stopped her.  "Be careful, there's glass everywhere.  We don't want you getting hurt."

            As Remus and Mrs. Weasley cleaned up the glass with a few simple spells, Blaise relaxed a fraction.  "Am I dead?" he whispered.

            "No," was Draco's shaky reply.  "But something tells me this was no accident, just like the sword."

            Blaise opened his eyes, looking at them all.  "If I'm not dead," he began slowly, "then neither is Gryffindor. . ."

            Harry's eyes widened as he felt the cold hand loosen.  Gryffindor.  Memories began to rush back to him, slowly at first, then faster and faster.  "Jamie!" he heard Lily cry as his eyes rolled up and he collapsed.

Fun, ne?

~Crawler


	4. Georgette, Borris, and Clyde

Well, it's about time I dusted this off.  Sorry it took so long.  Here's the next part.  Thank you Spibro, for kicking me.

Over

And over

And over

Until I wrote this.

And then for laughing at all the right parts.

**_Bold italic writing is George's thoughts to his inner self_**

_Plain italic writing is George's inner self_

Yes, they are different.  Don't ask me why, ask Georgette.

****

****

**_The Founders_**

            George groaned as he slowly came around. His ear itched, but when he reached to scratch it, he found his hand was stuck behind him.  He frowned and shook his head, trying to clear it. Why was everything so dark?  His ear really itched too! Why couldn't he scratch it?

George struggled to pull his arm in front of him, yanking with such force that he fell over.  "Ow," he said, only it came out as "Mmph."  Some idiot had shoved a sock in his mouth! Or, at least, something that felt and tasted like a sock. One of Ron's old quidditch ones. George did know how those tasted.  He tried to spit it out, but someone had taped his mouth closed with the sock in it. Now he was really getting pissed.  His hands were stuck behind his back, he was chewing on one of Ron's dirty socks, he couldn't see, and HIS EAR ITCHED.

"I'm going to really kill Fred this time," George muttered. "And Ginny. I bet she's in on this too. At least they didn't cover me in slugs. I bet that was Ron's doing. He hates the mere mention of slugs after that incident several years ago."

 Of course, no one understood him.

_Wait,_ a little voice in George's mind suddenly said. _Why go through all the trouble of tying me up and blindfolding me and gagging you? Couldn't they have just used some spells? Fred's not one to use muggle restraints on a wizard, especially not after graduating._

"Fred?" George asked hesitantly. "Fred, this isn't funny."

No answer.

George sighed, he had had a funny feeling he wouldn't get one. Besides, he always knew if Fred was nearby. It was a sixth sense, a twin thing. No Fred nearby.  In fact, no Fred at all.

That was bad. Either Fred was hundreds of miles away, or Fred was dead. George whimpered, suddenly remembering the Death Eaters that had snuck up on him. He remembered bending over Fred and not being able to wake him. He remembered turning around and seeing the wands leveled at him. He remembered the many voices muttering the . . . wait, no, he didn't remember that.

 He did remembering dreaming about Noko licking his nose.

But that wasn't important.

_Oi!_ the little voice in his head yelled at him. _Snap out of it!_

**_Yes sir!_** George thought back. For some reason, the voice reminded him strongly of McGonagall. **_Or should I say, Yes ma'am?_**

_Thank you for finally acknowledging me, your feminine side,_ the voice answered. George facevaulted.

**_ WHAT!? Feminine side? I don't have a feminine side!_**

_You do now._ The voice sounded almost smug.

**_GET OUT OF MY HEAD, MCGONAGALL!_**

_Why? It's fun!_

George groaned and smashed his face into the dirt he was laying on. **_Okay, now I know you're not McGonagall. She'd never say something like that._**

_Curses! Foiled by my playfulness!_

**_Shut up._**

_No._

**_Yes._**

_No._

**_Yes_**_._

_No._

**_This is stupid._**

_Yes, it is. You're arguing with yourself, and losing. Badly._

George groaned again. What had those Death Eaters done to him?  Was he going insane?

_No, because insane people are always positive they're sane._

**_Thank you, little voice,_** George thought tiredly.

_Call me Georgette._

**_What do you want?_**

_I'm your conscience._

**_I thought you were my feminine side._**

_Can't I be both?_

George didn't know what to say to that. The little voice - Georgette, continued on undaunted. _Anywho, you're in a bit of trouble here, now aren't you?_

**_No duh._**

_Well, there are two things you can do. Number one, lie around here like an idiot waiting for them to kill you as you mourn the tragic demise of your brother._

**_That doesn't sound good._**

_It's not._

**_Oh._**

_Option number two. Get yourself out of this mess._

**_That sounds hard._**

_But it'll be fun! Running amok and terrorizing the bad guys' plans? Come on, doesn't that appeal to your pranksterish side?_

**_Are you going to drag him into this too?_**

_Why not? Borris gets bored when you don't talk to him!_

**_Borris?_**

_You really should talk to your different sides more often, get to know them.  Did you know Fred's prankster side is named __Clyde__?_

**_CLYDE_****_?_**

_Yep._

**_Please go away, you're scaring me!_**

_Okay._

**_Okay? That's it?_**

**_Hello?_**

**_            I guess she's gone._**

 George fidgeted a moment on the ground before deciding Georgette was right. He really should get out of this mess. First things first though. By tilting his head to the left and raising his shoulder a bit, he could rub his ear.

Now that his ear didn't itch anymore, George was able to rub his mouth along the ground until the tape peeled off. He spat out the dirty Ron sock and tried to remove his blindfold.  That took a bit more rubbing. He ended up scraping his nose up a bit before he pushed it up off his eyes. Stupid bad guys. Can't even blindfold a person properly.  Now that he could see, George realized there was nothing to see. He was in a cell painted black. Where he assumed the door was, some light filtered in through black bars, illuminating the black walls and the black floor just a bit.  And of course, George had to be wearing his black Hogwarts robes, trying them on to show his mother what good condition they were still in.

 Figures.

George moved his feet experimentally, learning that they were shackled together, but not chained to anything.  He inched his way over to the patch of light on the floor and twisted his head as far back as he could to try to see the handcuffs.  George sighed.  Whoever held him captive was an idiot.  He pinched part of the cuffs in one hand and gave a sharp twist with the other.  The cuff snapped open and George quickly freed his other hand.  He then pulled the cuffs off his legs and stood slowly, rubbing his sore nose.

Now to get out.

And that's what happened to George!  Woot!

That doesn't really do anything, except make you doubt George's sanity, does it?  It really doesn't move the plot along in the least.  ~sighs~  Oh well.  It's a start, right?

~Crawler


	5. Meet the Votrians

Um, hello? Anyone there?

****

**_The Founders_**

****

Hermione and Ginny pushed their way through the crowd of students on Platform 9 and ¾ before stopping and turning to the boys behind them impatiently. "Honestly! You'd think the four of you were headed to your deaths or something! It's just a train!" Hermione cried, exasperated.

Ever since that night several weeks ago that almost cost Blaise and Ron their lives, none of the four boys had been acting themselves. Harry was always lost in his thoughts, musing over what he learned while he was unconscious but refusing to tell anyone else. Ron was fidgety and always looking for dangerous things. Blaise was very sullen and moody, rarely removing his eyes from the ground. Draco would flit from Blaise to Harry worriedly, trying in vain to find out what was going through their heads. Now all four of them hung back, dragging their feet and eyeing the Hogwarts Express warily.

"Draco? Draco! It is you!" A blond-haired boy pushed past Hermione and stopped panting in front of Draco. Behind him, a sour-faced blonde girl stomped up, dragging her trunk behind her.

"Lucan, don't run away like that! We're supposed to stick together! Oh! Draco! You're not dead!"

Draco shook his head. "Of course I'm not dead. Why should I be?"

"Well, your dad went missing, then you did, and we thought that maybe . . ."

"Luke thought there was a chance Voldemort killed you and Mr. Malfoy because you knew too much or something, but I thought that was ridiculous," the girl interrupted. "I mean, come on. It's obvious you and Mr. Malfoy are among Voldemort's top supporters."

"Top supporters . . . right," Draco said weakly.

The girl glanced at Harry, Ron, and Blaise, then did a double take of Harry." Il mio dio!* Harry Potter!"

"Oi, Malfoy," Ron said. "Introductions to your little friends? I haven't seen them around here before. What house are they in?"

"We aren't in any house," the girl answered, glaring at Ron. "We're new students."

"From America?" Hermione asked. "You have a strong accent."

"Missouri, to be exact," the boy confirmed. "I'm Lucan Votrian, this is my sister, Seneca. We were staying with the Malfoys over the summer before attending Hogwarts."

Seneca smiled broadly at the mention of Hogwarts. "I can't wait! I've read so much about Hogwarts! Their curriculum is said to be much more advanced then Midwest's, which is great . . ."

". . . because you were really starting to get bored there. I know, Sen, I know. You've only told me a million times."

Seneca tossed her head angrily. "Well, it's the only good thing about coming here."

Hermione interrupted what looked like a possible sibling spat. "I don't believe we've been introduced yet. I'm Hermione Granger, in Gryffindor. That's Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, both Gryffindors too. Ginny here is Ron's little sister, she's another Gryffindor. Blaise Zambini is a Slytherin, and you already know Draco."

"Oh, is this Noko?" Seneca cooed, lifting the puppy from Draco's arms. "She's adorable! I've never met a wolf/werewolf cross before!" Noko barked happily and licked Seneca's nose.

"Noko like you!" she chirped. Seneca laughed and ruffled her hair.

The train whistle blew and the students grabbed their trunks and ran for the train. "Hurry, or we won't get a large compartment!" Ginny cried.

Fred popped up out of no where and helped them stow their luggage. "Hey, can't be here long, but if you see George or hear anything . . ."

"We'll write right away. You do the same," Ron said.

Fred ruffled Ron's hair and grinned at them. "You all be careful. The last thing we want is another accident," he warned.

"Be careful too, Fred," Ginny whispered, hugging him. "I don't want to lose another brother." Fred hugged her back and Disapparated with a POP.

The nine all sat in the compartment silently. Seneca counted them and smiled. "I get to be Legolas!"

"What?" Ron asked. Draco, Blaise, Harry, and Ginny were staring at her with similar blank looks. Lucan groaned and buried his face in his hands. Hermione smiled.

"If you're Legolas, then I'm Gandalf."

Noko tugged Seneca's sleeve. "Wha?"

Seneca looked around at the blank stares and sighed. "Honestly! None of you ever read Lord of the Rings? Come on, it's like, classic British literature!"

"Is that the one with the elves, and the dwarves, and the ringwraiths?" Blaise asked.

"Yes!" Seneca cried. "Now who do you want to be? We have nine people here, and there were nine walkers! Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf. Choose one!"

"I'll be Gimli," Ginny said. "Who is Gimli?"

"The dwarf," Lucan sighed.

"Pick one, Luke!"

"No."

"Then I'll pick one for you. You would make a good Merry, I think. Harry, you can be Aragorn. Draco . . . Sam. Blaise will be Frodo, Ron can be Boromir, and that leaves Pippin for Noko."

For the rest of the trip, Seneca and Hermione took turns regaling the others with the story of the War of the Ring and the histories of Middle-earth. Before too long, the others were really getting into the story, following their characters faithfully. Ron cried out angrily when Boromir was killed off, but Seneca told him he could become Faramir, Boromir's little brother, if he wanted. Hermione smiled, noticing how Seneca had been able to help the boys temporarily forget their troubles and just be themselves again. For the ride, they didn't remember Voldemort or Fudge or any evil doers other than Sauron and his ring.

"Firs years, this way!" Hagrid called out when the students got off the train. "Votrians, yer comin wit me too! Inter the boats!"

"Well, bye then," Lucan said, tugging on Seneca's arm. "See ya later."

"Cross your fingers and pray you're a Slytherin!" Blaise and Draco called out.

Ron elbowed Draco in the ribs. "Shut up, you prat! GRYFFINDOR ALL THE WAY!" Seneca laughed and waved at them before climbing into a boat with Lucan.

Ginny, Hermione, and Noko all climbed into one of the horseless carriages that rumbled up while the four boys took another. Harry sighed as he looked out his window. "Hogwarts will be different this year. Not only will Remus and Sirius be there, but my mum and dad too. Snape will be furious though, since my dad not only came back from the dead, but he's headmaster now too!"

Ron winced. "Potions class is going to be awful! Your dad's headmaster this year, mine's the Minister of Magic; we'll have to be extra careful! He may poison us!"

"Snape's not that bad," Draco pointed out.

Blaise nodded. "He's really quite nice, if you get to know him."

Ron looked skeptical at that. "Maybe he's nice to you, but you're Slytherins. We're Gryffindors. He hates us by nature."

Draco shrugged. "Or maybe he just hates you."

Ron turned red. "Oh yeah? Say that again!" Harry grabbed Ron's hand before he could draw his wand and shook his head, a gesture obviously meaning "Not in the carriage."

"Changing the subject," Blaise said offhandedly, "what do you think of the Votrians?"

"Well, you already know what I think of them," Draco said. "For a pair of odd foreigners, they aren't really that bad."

"Because they oppose their daddy's dark ways," Blaise teased. Draco kicked him.

"That's not the only reason!"

"I like them," Harry said calmly, still staring out his window. "Seneca especially. I feel . . . I don't know, drawn to her or something."

Blaise and Ron nodded. Blaise picked at a thread on his robes. "I feel like she's important, like somehow she's tied into this whole Fudge-is-evil situation."

"I think you're just being paranoid," Draco said. "Oi, Harry, any idea who should play Beaters for your team?"

"No, not really. Why?"

Draco smiled. "Well, now, you see, I personally believe the Creevey brothers, or maybe Longbottom and a Creevey brother, would be perfect for Gryffindor Beaters."

"You just want me to sabotage the Gryffindor team!"

Draco shrugged. "What can I say, you do have a lot of influence . . ."

"While we're on the topic of quidditch then, why don't you put Crabbe and Goyle on the Slytherin team. Aren't you going to be team captain this year?"

"Crabbe and Goyle?" Draco shuddered. "With luck they won't consider themselves my 'guards' this year. If my dad's missing, he can't exactly pay them."

"Then again," Blaise pointed out, "they aren't very bright. They may not realize they won't get paid to protect you."

"Heaven forbid!" Draco cried melodramatically, flinging one arm across his face, placing the other hand over his heart. "Saints preserve us! Mercy Maud!"

"Mercy Maud?" Harry asked, finally turning away from the window.

Ron cracked up, falling forward onto the floor of the carriage. Blaise bit the side of his hand to try to hold back his own laughter. Draco frowned and tapped his chin. "You know, that didn't quite come out right, I don't think."

Hermione opened the door to the boys' carriage and peered inside. She looked at the four boys sprawled around the carriage, laughing so hard they were sobbing and clutching their sides. Ron was sitting on the floor, Draco was lying across both seats, Harry sprawled across him, and Blaise was half on the floor, half in his seat. Hermione blinked several times before closing the door and turning away, ushering Ginny and Noko inside. "I don't think I want to know, but it is good that they're laughing again."

*My God!

Seneca _is_ important. She's not an OC thrown in to fall in love with Harry or anything like that.

She and Lucan are both creations of Col. Check out their story at 

~Crawler


	6. Why is George having such an easy time?

Is Midnight the only one reading this?  Weird.

Italics are sorting hat.  Or Harry's thoughts.  Whichever fits in the context.

****

**_The Founders_**

            "Trace, Jon."

            "SLYTHERIN!"

            Draco and Blaise clapped politely as Slytherin gained yet another new student, not even trying to hide their boredom.  Not only was this incoming class the largest in over a decade,  but also a large number of students were transferring in from schools all over the world.

            "Votrian, Lucan."

            Draco sat up a bit straighter and Blaise leaned forward.  "Slytherin," Draco muttered.  "You'd better be a Slytherin.  There's no way I'm letting the Weasel win that bet .  If you're a Gryffindor, I'll pinch you."

            "What a threat," Blaise murmured with a smile.

            The sorting hat took its time before calling "SLYTHERIN!"

            Blaise and Draco leapt to their feet, cheering as Lucan crossed the hall and sat next to them.  Across the room, Harry and Ron were booing.  "We got Lucan!" Draco laughed.  "Now for . . ."

            "Votrian, Seneca."

            Seneca bounced up excitedly and sat on the old stool.  The hat was placed on her head and the debate began.

            _Hmm, no questions here.  You're definitely a Rav . . . _

            "No!  I don't want to be a Ravenclaw!  Put me in Gryffindor or Slytherin!"  Seneca frowned and rocked on the stool, arguing with the hat.

            _Gryffindor or Slytherin!?  For _you_!?  Child, do you have no idea just who you _are_!?_

"Come on, just say it already!  GRYFFINDOR!  SLYTHERIN!"

            "RAVENCLAW!"

            "No!  Stupid hat!  I'll feed you to Noko!"

            _Good luck, little dove,_ the hat whispered as Professor McGonagall lifted it off of Seneca's head.

            Ron sighed as the last few new students were sorted.  "We didn't get either Votrian.  Seneca's a Ravenclaw and Lucan's a Slytherin.  Ferret won that bet.  I still say Lucan's not Slytherin material."

            "If you think about it, Blaise and Draco aren't acting like dark, evil Slytherins anymore either," Hermione pointed out.  "Well, actually, Blaise never really was to begin with, but Draco has really mellowed."

            Ron frowned, thinking about it.  "Hey, yeah!  I didn't even realize that!  I wonder why he's suddenly so much nicer.  Maybe he's planning something!  Maybe this is a clever trick to catch Harry off guard so he can be easily delivered to You-Know-Who!"

            "Voldemort," Harry automatically corrected.

            "Moldy!" Noko chirped, tumbling off her seat next to Harry.

            Hermione sighed and shook her head.  "Ron, you're hopeless.  Draco's not being nice to trick Harry . . ."

            Harry lifted Noko into his lap and rubbed her ears as Hermione pointed out evidence proving Draco was sincere.  _I know why Draco's nicer,_ he thought, smiling at his puppy.  _And it has everything to do with you._

            At the staff table, James stood up.  Sirius, sitting next to him, whispered something to Remus, who bit back laughter.  James smacked Sirius lightly and cleared his throat.

            "Ahem.  Alright, first things first.  I'm the temporary headmaster this year, my name is James Potter, you can call me James, Professor does _not_ suit me.  Two things you should know about me, no, wait, three, no, just two.  Number one, I'm not dead, contrary to popular belief."  A chuckle ran through the crowd and James smiled slightly.  "Number two, I am _not_ Harry Potter's father," he paused and looked around with mock seriousness, "while school is in session."  That earned him a hearty laugh from the students.  James grinned broadly and spread his hands.  "As my predecessor and hopefully successor, Professor Albus Dumbledore, would say, Nitwit!  Blubber!  Oddment!  Tweak!  Dig in!"

            "That went well," Sirius remarked as James sat down.  "You'll be a great headmaster, Prongs!"

            On James' other  side, Professor McGonagall buried her head in her hands.  "Three of the four Marauders are on the staff at this school; one of them is the headmaster.  What have we done?" she moaned.

            Lily laughed and patted McGonagall's arm soothingly.  "There, there, Professor.  No need to worry.  Remus will keep Sirius in line, and I'll take care of Jamie.  Hogwarts will survive this."  Lily leaned in closer to McGonagall and whispered, "Between you and me though, I don't know if Snape will survive!"  McGonagall laughed and shook her head.

            "This year certainly won't be dull, at the very least!"

            George studied the cell door in the little light he had.  "This may be tricky," he muttered.  "But I wonder, based on how I was tied up . . ."  He pushed the door, but it didn't budge.  George then tried turning the handle and pulling.  The door swung open without even a creak.  A large wooden beam stretching across the frame showed how it would have appeared locked from the outside.  George sighed.  What type of idiot tied a wizard up like a muggle and kept him in an unlocked cell?  "I'd like a challenge please!" he called.  "Anything!"  Shaking his head, he strolled lazily down the torch-lit hall.  "This is ridiculously easy, even for a muggle."

I swear, sometimes this doesn't seem worth the trouble it takes to type it.

~Crawler


	7. The Chamber Group

Please read the Author's Note at the bottom.  Nothing's really changed in the way of warnings, oh, wait, except one.  I've decided that although Harry and Draco will be much friendlier towards each other, slash will be kept to a minimum.  It just doesn't seem to be coming into play.  They will become extremely close, but I think there will be more slash between Remus and Sirius.

Sorry to anyone looking for hard-core H/D relationship stuff.  Not going to happen.

****

**_The Founders_**

            "Hermione, it's only the first day of school!  How can you have homework already?"  Ron read titles off of Hermione's stack of books.  "_Genealogy and You_, _Tracing Your Tree_, _Finding Your Roots_, _Hogwarts, A History_, what class are these for?"

            Hermione pulled her books out of Ron's hands and set them on the table.  "For your information, they aren't for any class."

            "Then why . . ."

            "They're for a project I'm doing in my own time."

            "But why . . ."

            "I'm trying to find the descendants of the founders."

            "What?"

            Hermione sighed and started explaining slowly.  "Ever since second year, when we didn't know if Harry was Slytherin's heir, I wondered if there were Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff heirs too.  My parents got me the genealogy books for my birthday."

            "But aren't you working backwards?"

            "It's the concept, Ron.  A big part of genealogy is tracking down and interpreting records.  Working backwards requires the same skills."

            "Sounds interesting," Harry spoke up.  "A lot of work, but interesting.  Found anything yet?"

            Hermione pulled another stack of books out of her bag and dropped them on the table.  "Nothing.  Ten books on the founders and not a whisper of any of them having any family."

            Noko stole a paper from Hermione's bag and studied it.  "Blah, blah, blah, yadda dadda, Noko is good, la dee da, lo dee do, Hawwy is nithe too, bling a thing, Noko liketh Dayco."  She shoved the paper in Harry's face.  "Noko can read!"

            "Maybe you should just drop the project if you're not getting anywhere," Ron suggested.  Hermione looked scandalized.

            "It's not like it's schoolwork," Harry pointed out, studying the paper Noko gave him.  "What's this?  Hog – comatose 997, died 1005.  Rav – died 1003, natural?  Huf – died 997, murdered? By Sly?  Grin?  Sly and Grf – disappeared 1000, died?"

            Hermione took the paper from Harry and glanced at it briefly before filing it back in her stack.  "That's a list of death dates for the four founders and Herdir Hogwarts."

            "Herdir Hogwarts?"

            Hermione sighed and pulled out _Hogwarts, A History_.  "According to this, Hogwarts was founded by four of the greatest witches and wizards of the time, however, other sources have mentioned a fifth.  Herdir Hogwarts was the first headmaster of Hogwarts and gave his name to the school, but other then that, he's rarely mentioned anywhere.  He's a bit more elusive then the other four when it comes to finding information, but what I have found reminds me of Dumbledore.  Hogwarts was a brilliant, elderly wizard when the school was founded, but he had a strange way of thinking.  The night Hufflepuff died, Hogwarts was found near her in a coma.  He died eight years later.  Although the records say that Hufflepuff died of natural causes, an excerpt from Ravenclaw's diary suspected foul play, maybe Slytherin.  Three years later, Gryffindor and Slytherin disappeared and were never seen again.  Ravenclaw lived another three years before she died.  Her last diary entry was written moments before she died.  Again, natural causes were given for cause of death, but her last entry talked about a strange shadow that had been stalking her and the constant sensation of someone unfriendly watching her."  Hermione rifled through her bag and pulled out a much smaller book.  "Here, this is the diary."

            Harry took the book.  "_Diary of the Dove_," he read.  "Dove?"

            "Hogwarts' nickname for Ravenclaw."

            "Hmm."  Harry flipped through the book, reading excerpts here and there.

            _. . . It's amazing!  The castle is designed in the new Gothic style!  It's absolutely _gorgeous_!  Salazar and Godric are arguing over the color scheme; Salazar wants green and silver, Godric prefers red and gold.  Little do they know that Helga is already decorating the castle as I write this, and it's neither red nor green . . ._

            _. . . Godric makes me so mad!  I can't believe what he did!  He accused Salazar of murdering poor Helga right in the middle of dinner!  I thought they were friends, but Godric . . . he's just changed for the worse.  Salazar too, but he's been acting weird longer.  Here we are, trying to get over poor Helga's death and Herdir's illness, and what does Godric do?  Point fingers over dinner!  Salazar left!  He actually packed up and left the school.  What are we going to do with his students? . . ._

            _. . . Salazar's back and darker then ever.  He and Godric still haven't managed to patch up their friendship . . ._

            _. . . I have to agree with Godric.  Reviewing the evidence, Helga probably _was_ murdered.  The question now is, by whom?  If only Herdir would wake.  He would know . . ._

            "Grindelwald," Harry whispered.

            "What?" Ron asked again.

            "Grindelwald," Harry repeated.  "Helga Hufflepuff was killed by Grindelwald, who was acting through Salazar Slytherin."  Noko bounced off her seat and ran across the hall.

            "It says that?"  Hermione pulled the diary towards her excitedly.  "I don't remember reading that!"

            "It doesn't say that."

            "Then how did you know?"

            Harry opened and closed his mouth several times before shaking his head and shrugging.  "I don't know if I could explain it.  I just do."

            "Harry."  Harry looked up to see Blaise standing over him, holding a trembling Noko.  "You know she's not supposed to be near Draco.  Lucius' orders and all that."

            "What has she done now?"

            "Spilled a pitcher of pumpkin juice in his lap."

            "I sowwy," Noko whispered.  "Is assiden."

            "She says you sent her over."

            Harry took Noko out of Blaise's arms and stroked her back, trying to comfort her.  "I didn't send her, but I did say Slytherin.  She may have thought that meant I wanted her to go to Draco."

            "Grindelwald killed Gryffindor too," Ron said out of the blue as he toyed with his fork.  Just a flick of his wand and the Killing Curse, and Gryffindor was dead."

            Hermione scowled good-naturedly.  "Does everyone have this secret knowledge, or is it just you too?"

            "And after Gryffindor's death, Grindelwald turned his wand on the battered Slytherin, cast _Incendio_, and watched him burn," Blaise whispered.

            Hermione threw her hands up in disgust.  "Fourteen books I've gone through, searching for these facts, and you three just pull them out of thin air!  That's just ridiculous!"

            "Mine didn't come out of thin air," Blaise commented.  "It's what happens in my dreams every night."

            "Remember when Ron and Blaise were attacked over summer?  And how I had collapsed?  Well, you weren't there, but we told you about it.  I think that' when I learned this stuff.  It's coming back to me in bits and pieces, but I know, for that one moment, I knew what the big picture was."  Harry frowned.  "I didn't like it much, it wasn't like other memories I've visited.  This time it felt like I was actually in another person, watching out of their eyes."

            "Mine came in a dream too," Ron admitted.  "But I've only had it once or twice, not every night like Blaise."

            "Why?" Noko asked, tilting her small face up at the enchanted ceiling.  "Why, why, why?"

            "My sentiments exactly," Hermione said.  "Why the three of you?  Why memories of the founders?  Why only bits and pieces?  Why now?"

            "Answer that and get back to me," Blaise sighed.  "It's not fun waking up each night from a dream in which you're burned to death."

            "Zambini, come with me."  Draco came up behind Blaise, grabbed his arm, and dragged him away.  Several minutes later, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Noko finished their dinners and left the Great Hall too.

            When the four entered Myrtle's bathroom, they found Draco sitting under the window, folding and unfolding a piece of paper, while Blaise was practicing a mild levitation charm and hopping from stall to stall.  "So, what happened, Draco?" Blaise asked.  "Now that we're all here."  He leapt from the stalls to the top of the sinks.  "What's with the long face?  Has Hufflepuff possessed you and shared her memories with you?"

            "What are you talking about?"

            "Long story, you say your thing first."

            Draco held the paper up between two fingers.  "My father is dead."

            "Are you sure he's not just faking like Fudge did?"

            "Snape watched a Death Eater kill him as he attempted to escape from our dungeons."

            "Oh, sorry!  Um, isn't this a girl's bathroom?"  Seneca stood at the door, holding a book in her hands.

            "It's Myrtle's bathroom," Hermione told her.  "No one uses it for a bathroom."

            "Who's Myrtle?"

            "I'm Myrtle!  Miserable, moping, moaning Myrtle!"  The upset ghost swooped through Seneca before diving back into her toilet with a wail.

            "Oh, come out, Myrtle.  You know we don't think that about you!  You've helped me before, twice, remember?" Harry called down the toilet.

            Myrtle stuck her head out.  "You don't hate me?"

            "Of course not!"

            "Weird ghost," Seneca murmured, handing the book to Hermione.  "You left this at your table.  _Diary of the Dove_.  It sounds interesting.  Can I read it when you're done?"

            "_Good-bye_ Seneca," Draco said.

            "I can stay here if I want, this isn't your bathroom.  Who was killed by Death Eaters?"

            "Nobody," Draco answered.

            "Ferret's dad," Ron replied at the same time.  Draco threw the letter at him, now folded into a paper airplane.

            "Mr. Malfoy?  What did he do?"

            "Stood in the way of a couple of Dark Lords," Ron said, flicking the now-paper-dog back at Draco.

            "Should we invite her into our group?" Harry asked.  "We may not be working on a potion anymore, but maybe we can tackle something else."

            "All in favor, say aye.  All opposed, nay.  Blaise?"

            "Undecided, will go with majority."

            "Draco?"

            "Nay."

            "Harry?"

            "Aye."

            "Me?  Aye.  Ron?"

            "Aye."

            "Noko?"

            "Nye!"

            "Three ayes, one nay, two undecided.  The ayes have it.  Blaise, swear her in."

            "Don't I get a say?" Seneca asked.

            "Yes."  Blaise jumped off the sinks and strode towards her, calling on his vampiric heritage yet again, dimming the lights and growing dark and ominous.  "Seneca Votrian, you have unwittingly stumbled across a meeting of the Chamber group.  We have decided to permit you to join us, if you choose to do so.  If you choose not to, your memory of this meeting shall be erased.  What is your choice?"

            "I join, naturally."

            "Excellent choice.  Seneca Votrian, do you swear to be a faithful member of the Chamber group, attending all meetings, contributing help to projects and problems, and keeping all Chamber business strictly confidential?  Failure to adhere to the rules of the Chamber group will result in you becoming one of my undead minions and suffering for all eternity."

            "I swear," Seneca said hesitantly, looking a little unnerved as Blaise loomed over her, uncomfortably close.  He smiled and flashed his fangs at her before taking a step back.  

"Good girl."  The lights brightened again and the playful Blaise Zambini was back.  Draco chucked the now-paper-flower at Blaise.

"You must teach me that light trick!"

Alright, here's a problem that's arisen.  I know I have many readers.  However, the lack of reviews is a bit discouraging.  If you enjoyed this story so far, please let me know.  I'm starting to worry that maybe it's going in a direction that you, my readers, aren't agreeing with.  It's usually extremely difficult to work OC characters in, especially as main ones.  Is Seneca becoming too much?  Can you live with her being just as important as Blaise?  What do you think of Draco?  Did he change too much to fast?

I'd really appreciate any type of review.  It would mean a lot.

~Crawler


	8. George Again

Hi!  It's me, Spibro!  This is the chapter _I_ typed up.  _Me_.  Not Crawler.  So here it is!  Enjoy.

That was Spibro's first attempt at an author's note.  Forgot several things, he did.

They don't belong to us!  We're not getting anything out of this, except more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

****

**_The Founders_**

            "So what exactly does the Chamber group do?" Seneca asked sitting next to Hermione by the sinks.  "How often do we meet?"

            "It does, well, er, something."

            "Nice explanation, Potter," Draco smirked pulling Harry down next to him.  "See Seneca, it's like this.  Last year a plague was sweeping the forest and spreading into the school, killing students.  The Chamber group was formed to take what little antidote my father gave me and find the recipe, and then to produce more to save the students.  Although we had some troubles at first, we worked them out and are now civil to each other, at least within the privacy of our group. We meet whenever something comes up, here, in Myrtle's bathroom.  If greater secrecy is needed, we just have our resident Parselmouth open up the Chamber of Secrets and we hide in there."

            "I think I understand."

            "Remember, not a word to anyone, not even Lucan," Blaise said, climbing back onto the tops of the stalls.  "Now, back to business.  Draco's dad is dead. Reactions?  Draco?

            "I'm a bit surprised," Draco admitted.  "I never thought Death Eaters would kill my father.  I'm not really upset.  I know he was my father, but he never really acted it.  I'm  actually a bit relieved that he's dead.  Now he can't hurt me, or anyone else, ever again."

            "Dayco daddy dead?"

            "Yes."

            Noko chewed the tip of her tail thoughtfully.  "Dayco daddy hate Noko, say Noko no play wit Dayco.  Dayco daddy dead, Noko play wit Dayco!"   Pleased with this conclusion, Noko leapt into Draco's lap and curled up, thumping her soggy tail against the floor.  "Noko miss Dayco!"

            Draco hugged Noko and scratched behind her ears.  "Missed you too, Noko."

            "We can't do anything about Lucius," Hermione said, drawing attention back to business.  "However, we should keep an eye on ministry going-ons.  Ron, that's your job, keep in touch with Percy and your dad, Fudge can't stay Lucius for long if Lucius is dead.  The Polyjuice potion will run out and he'll need a new plan.  Anything else to talk about?"

            "Yes what was that, Blaise, that you said about Hufflepuff possessing me?"

            "Oh, that.  It seems that Ron, Harry, and I are some how tapping into memories of the Hogwarts founders while we dream.  Ron sees Gryiffindor's final moments, I see Slytherin's, and Harry sees . . . Hufflepuff's? Through someone else's eyes?"

            "Yeah.  I'm wondering if it's Hogwarts himself, since he was with Hufflepuff when she died.

            "What were their first names?" Seneca asked. "Was there a Herdir?  I know about Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff, but is there a Herdir?"

            "Hogwarts is Herdir Hogwarts, the fifth founder.  How did you know that?"  Hermione asked.

            "I dream too," Seneca said, "I dream that I'm in the body of a lady, and she's writing.  She mentions Godric, Salazar, Helga, and Herdir, than she talks about a shadow that's been stalking her.  As she's writing that, she dies."

            "Ravenclaw," Hermione whispered.  "You become Ravenclaw in your dreams."

            "All we're missing is Hufflepuff then," Draco said, "Now who might be Hufflepuff?"

            "What good would knowing Hufflepuff do us?" Blaise balanced on one foot on top of the stall, "We don't even know why we're able to have these dreams."

            "Mission of the Chamber group.  Learn how wizards can tap into memories of other wizards.  Use any means possible, but don't reveal anything about us having those dreams." Harry look at them all in turn. "I'm getting the feeling the less people that know, the safer we are."

            "Put your hands on your head and turn around slowly." George was pointing his wand at a small, plump, balding wizard.  The wizard did as George ordered.  "What's your name?"

            "Peter Pettigrew."

            George narrowed his eyes. "Pettigrew's dead."

            "No I'm not.  Ask Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, or Hermione Granger.  They can explain everything."

            "Why can't I just ask you?"

            "It'll take to long to explain. We took you because my master thought you were Gryiffindor's heir."

            "How can I be his heir?  I'm right in the middle of my family.  Dad, than Bill, then Charlie, then Percy, and then me."

            "Spiritual heir," Peter clarified.  "I, however, owe a life debt to Harry Potter.  Seeing as you're a friend of his, saving your life will help repay my debt to him."

            "Oh, so you're the idiot who imprisoned me.  Gotcha.  Okay, I go free, you've repaid a sliver of your debt to Harry.  Good luck with your explanation to your master!" George looked around the room before pointing to the fire place.  "Say, do you have any floo powder?"

            "I have a better idea." George squawked as Peter flung a spell at him, transfiguring him into a snowy owl. "Fly to Hogwarts.  Someone there can transfigure you back, and you'll be safe."

            George nipped Peter's fingers hard before flying to the window.  He lifted his wings about to take off, when he froze.

            "North about fifty miles."

            George nodded and flew away.  Harry had some explaining to do.  A dead wizard found alive and on the wrong side?  One with a life debt to Harry?  And what did Ron know about this?

            "Birdy!" Noko barked as Pig swooped down and perched on Ron's head.  Harry grabbed her and held her tightly before she could catch the tiny owl.

            "Maybe you should send Pig off.  I don't want Noko to eat him."

            "Harry! Look!"  Hermione was pointing up at Hedwig who seemed to be half supporting another owl.  They landed less than gracefully in front of Harry.  Hedwig's friend collapsed from exhaustion immediately.  "Oh the poor thing!" Hermione stroked its feathers and offered it some pumpkin juice.  The owl drank it greedily.

            "I wonder whose it is."

            Once it had recovered sufficiently, the owl stood up and flapped its wings, hooting at them.  Harry stood blankly back.  The owl slumped and smacked its head with one wing.

            "It acts humanish," Ron commented.  The owl started nodding vigorously.

            "Noko laughed, "Birdy dance!"  She started nodding and flapping her arms too.  The owl stopped.  It clicked its beak several times before it dipped a talon into the pumpkin juice.  In wet, orange letters on Hermione's napkin, the owl wrote _I'm George_.

            "I'm George?"  Hermione read. "Gee..oh!" George!  Finite Incantatum!"  George the owl turned back into George the human as Hermione lifted the spell of him.

            "George, you're alive!" Ron hugged his brother as George tried to climb off the table.

            Noko leapt at George, squealing, "Nuncle George birdy!  Nuncle George here!"

            Heads turned in their direction, excited whispers running through the hall.

            "George? George who?"

            "George Weasley!  I heard he died!"

            "George is here?"

            "Why is he on the table?"

            "George!" the last cry came from Ginny, who flung himself in his arms.  "You're alive!  You're here! This is great!"

            Ron grabbed Hermione's quill and scrawled a quick note to Fred.  "Here Pig, take this to Fred immediately, the sooner the better!"

            George found himself surrounded by a press of students welcoming him back to Hogwarts.  Sirius forced his way through the crowd and pulled George out.  "As much as you love Hogwarts' ex-troublemaker, George needs to get back to home.  Say good-bye now!"  George waved as Sirius dragged him off and a chorus of  "good-byes" followed him down the hall.

            "Can you Apparate?"

            "Yes, Fred and I passed the test early last summer."  George paused. "Why didn't I just Apparate out of that place then?"

            "It's good you didn't.  Voldemort probably can track anyone who Apparates or Disapparates in his territory."

            "Oh, Sirius, do you know if Fred's… well ….dead? I can't feel him anymore."

           "Fred's going crazy at Remus' house, but other than that, he's fine."  They arrived at the edge of Hogwarts' grounds.  "Well, now you can Apparate to Remus' house.  That's where the rest of your family is staying."

            "Why?  What happened to the Burrow?"

            "I think I'll let them tell you."  Sirius patted George's shoulder.  "Don't worry about it so much.  No one was seriously hurt, and it's best for you to get back to your family."

            "Something big is going to happen."

            "Is happening," Sirius corrected.  "Lucius Malfoy was killed by Death Eaters.  Whispers of a second Dark Lord are everywhere.  We're trying to unite our fighters.  Go to Remus' house and wait for Arabella Figg.  She'll have further instructions."

            "Where's Dumbledore?"

            Sirius paused and shook his head.  "We wish we knew."

Great, isn't it!? JJJ

~Spibro~

Here's a fun fact.

Usually, if a character forgets something like George forgot about Apparation, that's because the author forgot about Apparation and needed to scramble to cover her bases.(~laughter from Spibro~)  I'm guilty of that here.

Sometimes it's done purposely though.

So I won't tell you again if it's an accident or on purpose.

And I hate writing these notes with Spibro laughing over my shoulder.

CONTEST! 

Where is Dumbledore?  The authors don't know!  Why don't you tell us where he should be!

*Suggestion submitted by Spibro – Dumbledore's vacationing in the Caribbean!  Just like Harry pictured him to be in the fourth book!

*Suggestion submitted by Crawler – Dumbledore is off examining the curious rituals of ants.  His nose is stuck in the dirt, and he's too busy to answer his owls.

What do you think?

~Crawler


	9. Malfoy Manor

Part nine, up! Vote for Dumbledore's whereabouts! Cleaning out the Manor! WOOT!

I'm high on sleep! It's almost as good as caffeine! ~giggles~

Aren't mine! Nope! Not mine!

(This chapter seems a bit. . . off to me.  It might get rewritten later)

**_The Founders_**

"Granger!"

Hermione turned to see Snape stalking up to her. "Yes Professor?" She hoped he would be done quickly, she was supposed to meet the Chamber Group to discuss any recent developments with the memories issue.

"If you see Mr. Malfoy, tell him I need to see him in my office immediately."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Mr. Malfoy has been spending much time with Potter, too much time for his own good," he sneered. "I assume you are dashing off to see Potter, so you will most likely be seeing Mr. Malfoy as well."

"Oh, well, if I see him, I'll tell him." Snape nodded and swept away. Hermione shook her head and dashed off down the hall again.

"Draco! Snape wants to talk to you!" Draco groaned as Hermione burst into the bathroom. "Hurry up, I don't think it'll take too long, and I found some interesting stuff!" Draco muttered something unintelligible and left. "What's with him?"

"Noko stayed in the Slytherin dorms last night, remember," Seneca piped up. "He's exhausted. Poor thing had nightmares."

"She insisted on sleeping there, though," Harry said, stroking Noko's hair. She sighed contentedly and curled up in his lap. "It was her own fault."

"I gived him buttafie kissies," Noko said tiredly, gripping Harry's robes in one tiny hand. "A' night, just afore goin' ta bed, I gived him buttafie kissies, just like Sensen say to. Den, in da mornin, I gived him big hugs. He like big hugs. Den I says "Love ya Daddy Dayco," and he started crying a little." She yawned. "Den da big green snakey eated him."

"One of her dreams," Harry explained. "Big green snakes are always eating people in the Slytherin dorms when she sleeps there, that's a sign that it was just a dream."

"Was it?" Blaise asked, sitting on the sink concealing the Chamber. "We've been having dreams that aren't just dreams. Might her dreams be like that too?"

"Our dreams obey human logic," Ron pointed out. "Noko's dreams are always of a big green snake eating Ferret, not that I'd mind."

"The ones she tells us are of a snake eating Draco," Seneca corrected. "Blaise could be right; she may have dreams like we do; only she doesn't mention them."

"Update on the Malfoy family," Draco announced, reentering the bathroom. "Total size: one. Me."

"Oh, Draco, no! Your mother died? I'm so sorry!"

Draco shrugged Hermione off. "Out of the two, I preferred Lucius more."

Lucius. Not my father, Lucius. Harry frowned, realizing that this ways Draco's way of not acknowledging Lucius and Narcissa as his parents. In his eyes, they were not his mother and father. They were simply two people who lived with him and ordered him around. Harry felt sorry for Draco, but at the same time was happy for him. Draco never did have a real family but at least now he didn't have a false family hurting him.

"What becomes of the Manor?" Seneca asked.

"It's mine now. Snape recommends I go visit it for the Christmas Break and fix it up if I want to live there or sell it. He says it took some damage from the mob that killed Narcissa."

"Are my parents okay?"

"No idea. No one seems to know where they are, or at least nobody's telling. Snape thinks they're traveling with the Death Eaters. I'm sure Lucan will ask around and find out if they're with someone else's parents."

"Do you want us to come with you this break?" Harry asked.

"Could you?" Draco answered, trying not to sound too pleading. The Manor had given him no happy memories. The last thing he wanted was to stay there alone for two weeks.

"Of course we could," Blaise said. "It'll be a field trip!"

"Over the holidays, it's not a field trip," Ron grumbled. Staying at Malfoy Manor was not his idea of a good Christmas, even if it was with Hermione.

At the Manor

"It's nice," Remus said cautiously, trying to choose the right words. "Maybe just a little . . . colorless."

"Always so polite, eh Moony? I would've just said it's plain ugly," Sirius retorted, examining the dark manor. "We have to stay _there_ for two weeks? I'm sure Hornhead is having a grand old time laughing at us."

Remus and Sirius had been sent with the Chamber Group and Lucan for safety reasons. James had to stay at Hogwarts, being the headmaster.

Draco touched some peeling paint on the door and frowned. "Colorless usually describes the exterior fairly well, but never ugly. It looks like it's falling apart."

"Maybe it's just protection spells," Remus suggested. "Illusions, like the ones on Hogwarts."

"Maybe."

The inside of Malfoy Manor was in much better condition, but it was dark and depressing. Noko stuck her nose in a decorative vase and sneezed it off. "Dussy." She blew her nose in Harry's scarf.

Draco looked around and sighed. "I think we have a lot of cleaning up to do. If the house elves were still here, it wouldn't be so dirty."

"Rooms first," Sirius recommended. "We'll need a place to put our stuff."

"Hundreds of rooms in Malfoy Manor. If we run out, the world's going to end."

Draco kept his old room. Harry slept across the hall. Noko and Hermione shared the room to Harry's right while Ron took Harry's left. Blaise slept across from Ron, and Lucan slept across from Hermione. Sirius and Remus picked rooms further down the hall. After unpacking and testing the bounciness of their beds (Noko), they met in the main hall again.

"I want to sell the Manor," Draco said. "but I can't until it's cleaned and purged of Dark Magic stuff."

"What should we do?" Lucan asked.

"Who's good in the kitchen?" Everyone pointed at Remus. "Okay, Lupin cleans the kitchen and cooks. Black can take the dining room. Seneca and Lucan, you can tackle the bedrooms, they're numerous but easy. One charm cleans each room, I'll teach it to you in a moment. Weasel and Blaise can clean the studies and sitting rooms. Don't open books or tinker with strange objects. Harry and Hermione, you can help me in the libraries."

"Wha'bou me?"

"Noko? Where do you want to clean? Not the libraries, they're too dangerous."

"No Dayco or Hawwy?"

"No, sorry."

Noko looked around before latching onto Remus' leg. "I help Mooie den." 

Draco nodded and told everyone where to go and what to do. He took Hermione and Harry to the main library himself. "You have to be careful in here. Books with a bright red spine and gold lettering are trap books. Don't open them; stack them on the chess table instead. Dark green books with silver lettering can be very dangerous. Put those on the green desk. Separate the others into two piles, Dark arts near the fireplace and others in the arm chairs. If you aren't sure, put it on the desk. Better safe then sorry."

An hour later, the desk was groaning under the weight of books and the fireplace was obscured from view. Five lonely books sat in the armchairs, while a dozen bright red books perched invitingly on the chess table.

"What do trap books do?" Hermione asked, reaching for one. Draco took the book back and placed it reverently on the table again. "Just what they sound like. They trap people. Some trap you in the story, others freeze you in one place, and one controls a whole new dimension." Draco took another trap book off a shelf. "This one. It's the only one I know how to reverse, so you can try it if you want to."

Hermione took the book, _The Painted Room_, and opened it. It seemed innocent enough.

_It was a simple room with black wrought-iron furniture and a thick, white rug underfoot. A frameless mirror hung above a black marble fireplace. It was the walls, however, that drew your attention. They were a riot of colors, greens and blues and yellows, all mixing and blending with each other in horrific abstract shapes, seeming to pulse with a life of their own._

Hermione put the book down. "Why is this so bad, Draco? Draco? Harry?" She looked around nervously. They were gone. She stood in a simple room, with black, wrought-iron furniture and a thick white rug underfoot. The room was the exact one she had just read about. "Draco! Get me out of here!"

"Where did she go?" Harry asked, trying to take the book from Draco, with no success.

"I told you, another dimension. Watch." Draco opened the book to the last page and turned it upside-down. Words were appearing on the page rapidly.

_She looked around, trying her best not to panic. "Draco! Get me out of here!" The walls pulsed around her. She bowed her head, unable to look at them for long. "Draco," she ground out through gritted teeth. "Get me out of here! NOW!"_

Draco picked up a quill and started writing ahead of the book's words.

_Suddenly, two books fell into the room; two copies of Malfoy Manor: The Library_.

"Don't change it now," Draco warned Harry. He flipped back to the beginning and read the passage that took him to the Painted Room. Harry flipped back to the back and started reading again.

_"Calm down, Hermione. It won't take long. We need to take up paper space."_ _Draco Malfoy had appeared in the room and was talking to the girl. He looked up at the dark ceiling. "Harry, as soon as we come back, place your hand on the last page of the book and say _Reservo_." He stared walking around and around, slapping at the walls idly. Suddenly, two books fell into the room; two copies of Malfoy Manor: The Library._

_ "What are these for?" the girl asked, picking one up._

_ "Read the first page," Draco answered, opening his copy of the book. She did as he told her. Both vanished from the room._

"_Reservo_!" Harry cried as Hermione and Draco reappeared in the library. "What was that?"

Draco took the book from Harry and gave it back to Hermione. "Look, you can read what you did in the room, since Harry saved it. You have to be very careful if you fall into this book. Anyone on the other side can write anything into it with you, or could even change who you are."

"Who could be so cruel?"

"Lucius."

"To you?"

"Who else?"

"No!"

"Don't believe me? Fine, read it yourself. _Recoupo__ Volume Four_!" Words rippled onto the page. Draco underlined "Dragon vs. Dragon" with his quill. The words shimmered and changed again. Harry was strongly reminded of Riddle's diary.

Hermione started to read the account before pushing the book away in disgust. "That's horrible! I can't believe your father sent in a dragon with you! How old were you?"

"Five, I think." Draco cleared the book and set it on the chess table. "Let's get back to work."

Hours later, Noko poked her nose in. "Dinna's weady! Follow me!"

I still need to know where Dumbledore is. Vote for an existing choice or come up with your own!

1) Dumbledore's enjoying the sun, sand, and waters of the Caribbean!

2) Dumbledore's got his nose in the ground as he examines the rituals of ants. His ant work is making him too busy to answer owls. (One vote)

PLEASE VOTE! I really am stumped!

~Crawler


	10. Lucan's Interlude

This is a different style, a first person POV.  You better know who it is just by reading it.  If you still don't know by the end, I do tell you.

After this chapter, everything's back to normal.

And since today, May 11, is my birthday, I'm giving you a special treat, ala Hobbit-styled birthday traditions where the birthday girl (or boy) gives the gifts rather than receives them.

TWO CHAPTERS!

STILL NEED DUMBLEDORE POSTION SUBMISSIONS!

****

**_The Founders – Lucan's Interlude_**

Ritengo così solo.  I feel so lonely.  I don't usually think in Italian, but sometimes I can't help it.  Even though the Manor is far from empty, even though I'm sitting at the same table as Ron, Blaise, Seneca, Professor Lupin, and Professor Black, I feel lonely.

Noko leads Harry, Draco, and Hermione in, and finds them places at the table.  I grin.  She's just so cute!  Pity she's a half-breed with a limited life-span.  I'm sure Harry and Draco will be devastated when she dies.

Speaking of Harry and Draco, neither of them are anything like I expected them to be.  Before we moved here, Father would regale us with stories of Lucius Malfoy (his hero), and the rest of the Malfoy family.  The rivalry between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter was legendary.  It made for good stories at dinner.  I expected them to be constantly at each others' throats, but they have some sort of friendship between them.  It's really strange.

When I first met Draco, he looked down his nose at me and sneered.  I immediately got the impression he was a cold, distant person.  I think Seneca sneered right back at him.  I wouldn't have been surprised if she did.  Once all the adults left, however, Draco warmed right up.  He showed us around the manor and let us pick out our own rooms.  His smiles seemed awkward, as if he wasn't used to them, and he never laughed, but he was immediately someone I found myself drawn to.  Seneca started talking about animals, and he mentioned Noko.  The way his just lit up when he talked about her made me see just how special she was to him.

Meeting Noko in person for the first time was different.  She was openly friendly and trusting, right from the start.  I don't know what I had expected, maybe something bigger or more wolfish, but Sen fell in love at first sight.  Noko took to Sen quickly, greeting her with puppy kisses like she was a long-lost friend.  I had been thrilled to see Draco wasn't dead, but I didn't say anything at the time.  Instead I just looked at the others with him.

Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived.  What witch or wizard didn't know his name?  He wasn't as short as Draco said he was, maybe from a growth spurt over the summer.  He looked lost in his thoughts, barely noticing me long enough to say hello.  He definitely has opened up more, but he's usually ducking off with everyone else at the table except the professors.  It's almost as if they have a club or something.

Ron Weasley is Harry's best friend.  He's tall, red-haired, and freckle-faced.  Draco teases him a lot and calls him Weasel.  Ron retaliates by calling him Ferret.  I haven't heard the story behind the name Ferret, but I know the Weasel part.  Although it seems like he doesn't like Draco much, I think it's just an act and the two just tease each other good naturedly now.

Seneca seems to be pulling away from me to be with these guys (and girls) more.  She was sorted into Ravenclaw, no surprise there, but her friends are all Gryffindors and Slytherins a year above her.  That worries me a little, but not much.  They seem to be a good influence on her.  Sen's sharp tongue and smart alec nature are tamed whenever Hermione's around.  I don't think Sen's ever been with anyone who's as smart as she is, if not smarter, and it's good for her.  Hermione can put Sen in her place if she gets too annoying, but is always there to encourage Sen on.  I know Sen's always wanted an older sister.  Hermione's filling that role perfectly.  She's a smart girl, and pretty too.  Too bad she's a Gryffindor, and Ron's.  I wouldn't stand a chance.

Blaise is the enigma.  He's a Slytherin, but I don't think he's a pure-blooded wizard. Slytherin house very rarely, if ever, has any wizards that aren't pure-blood for at least five generations, but rumors have it that Blaise's dad is either a mudblood or muggle, which definitely doesn't match the five generations pureblood.  I don't see why he made it into Slytherin, unless the Hat knows something I don't.  Maybe it's because he's part vampire, according to other rumors.  With his dark hair and pale skin, I can see the vampire resemblance, but Blaise doesn't have fangs, nor does he fear the sun.  I personally think the most probable rumor is the one that says that his muggle/mudblood father isn't his real father, and that he really is five generations pureblood.  I'd have to ask him to find out for sure.

The two professors with us, Professor Lupin and Professor Black, go by many names.  Professor Lupin is also called Lupin, Remus, RJ, Moony, Remy, Wolf-man, and Howler.  Professor Black also goes by Black, Sirius, Squib (though I don't know why, he's very strong magically), Padfoot, Paddy, Dogbreath, Siri, Annoying, and Troublemaker.  There seems to be a strong bond between the two Defense professors, but I'm not sure what it is.  Although they act as father figures to Harry, they're perfectly fine with letting Harry go off with his group while they do their own thing.  That leaves me alone.  I don't think I want to join in with the professors, but I feel like an intruder whenever I'm with the others.

"Lucan?"  Professor Lupin's soft voice interrupts my thoughts.  It's funny, the way he can be so calm and quiet while being in full control of those around him.  Scary even.  I wonder if that has anything to do with him being a werewolf.  Not that I'm prejudiced against him or anything.  It's just so . . . creepy.  "Lucan?"  Oops, I forgot he had addressed me.

"Yes, Professor?"

That earned me a smile.  Professor Lupin smiles a lot, but it's always different for each person.  Sirius gets a devilish smirk, Harry gets a fatherly smile, Hermione and Ron get a knowledgeable grin, and I get this small soft smile that says he'll be my friend, if I want him to.  "You may call me Remus or Moony when we're not in class.  The others do."

"Okay, uh, Remus."  Moony is just too . . . not him.  Where did he get that silly name?

"When is your birthday?"

"Huh?"  Where did that come from?  "Why do you want to know?"

He shrugged, with that small smile again.  "Well, we were talking about birthdays.  Draco's is coming up, it's actually Christmas Day.  I know Harry's is the thirty-first of July, and Blaise and Ron apparently share a birthday on March first.  You were next around the table."

"Oh."  Now I feel stupid.  "January tenth."

"So it's coming up too."  I nod.  "I'll have to keep that in mind."  With that, he moves his attention on to Seneca, sitting to my right.

"October thirty-first."

I knew that.  She's my sister.  If I didn't, I wouldn't be a very good brother.  Maybe I should pay more attention to the conversation.  It would be bad if they got me birthday presents but I didn't even know their birthdays.

September nineteenth is Hermione's birthday.  Somehow, I'm not surprised.  A smart, bookish girl like her just clicks with the first month of school.

"June fifth," Professor Black says.  Near the end of the school year.  Somehow, I can see him with that birthday.  Remus says November second is his birthday.  Nobody knows Noko's birthday.  She asks if she can pick a day, in that odd little lisping chirp she has.  Harry and Draco say she can, so now she's quiet, thinking about the perfect birthday.

I didn't know Draco's birthday was coming up.  Having a Christmas birthday can't be much fun.  Nobody would remember it, what with the holiday coming up.  Now that Draco's an orphan, who will celebrate his birthday?  Harry?  The professors?  Noko?  Me?

I know this is kind of a long ramble in Lucan's POV, but it does introduce some necessary information, sets up the next chapter, and just tells you a bit about the characters and how they're viewed by an outsider.  Remember, Lucan has no idea about the Chamber Group.  The professors don't really know about it officially either, but I'm sure James told them what happened the year before, when he helped them make the potion.

Yes, there is a reasoning behind Sirius' nickname, no, it's not important to the story.  Just for fun, we gave him the middle name Quinton.  Sirius Quinton Black.  SQB.  SQuiB.

Yes, we're weird.  ^___^~sings "I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell"~

The next chapter will be back to its normal style.

Dumbledore Postion Contest

1) Vacationing in the Caribbean! 

2) Nose to the ground, studying ants! (three votes, I think.  Need to count them again to make sure)

~Crawler

(and Spibro)


	11. Christmas at the Manor

WELCOME BACK!  WOOT!  Yes, sugar and caffeine can be mixed with good side effects.

Oh yes.

Goooood side effects

Italics are thoughts.  Stuff in parentheses are said or done by other people as someone else is talking.

**_The Founders_**

"Happy Christmas!"

            "Happy Christmas!"

            "Merry Christmas!"

            "Merry Christmas?"

            Such were the sounds in the hallway outside of Draco's room as he woke up on Christmas morning.  Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he pulled on a bathrobe and opened his bedroom door, just as Blaise was about to knock.  "Come on, sleepyhead!  We're all meeting downstairs to open presents!" Draco didn't let Blaise pull him down the stairs. Instead he walked slowly, with the grace and dignity befitting a Malfoy. 

"Happy Christmas, Draco," Remus greeted him tiredly from the couch.  The full moon had been just the previous night, so Remus and Noko were still pretty tired.  Sirius sat behind Remus, giving him a back massage.

"Pwesent time?" Noko asked from her seat in Remus' lap.  She looked over at Remus, a nervous excitement playing over her tired face.  "Can I give dem deir pwesents now?"

Remus nodded.  "Go get them."  Noko yipped happily and tore out of the room.  "Go after her, Siri.  She'll drop them if she tries to bring them in herself."  Sirius chuckled and slipped out from behind Remus to chase Noko into the kitchens.

The doorbell rang.  "I'll get it," Harry said, far too perky for this early in the morning, Draco decided.  He returned, moments later, with James by his side, one arm slung around the younger boy's neck in a hug, and the whole Weasley crew behind him.

"Mum!  Dad!  What are you all doing here?"  Ron leapt up to hug his parents and duck away from Fred and George simultaneously.  The twins each had one arm wrapped around the other and a bag of candy in their other arm.  Ron was not about to be a guinea pig.

"Well, we got a message saying you'd be spending Christmas here and it would be nice to celebrate it as a family.  Seeing as how this would be Harry's first Christmas with his dad that he remembers, we decided to haul James along too!"  Mrs. Weasley bustled around, giving everyone a hug, even Draco and Blaise.  When she pulled away, a thick present was left in their arms or their laps.

Noko walked back in carefully, carrying a large box.  She set it down by Draco very gently.  "It's fwag . . .  uh, fwag . . . um . . ."

"Fragile?"

"Yes, fwag . . . uh, wha you say!"

Sirius came back with a bag of oddly colored tins.  He handed them to Noko one at a time, and she made sure everybody got one.  "Happy Kissimas an a Mewwy Valentino!" she cried with each gift.  "Open dem!  But Dayco open his las!"

Harry opened his first, revealing brightly, albeit oddly, colored Christmas cookies.  He picked a violet bone up and studied it.  "Did you make these, Noko?"

"Yep!"  Noko was beaming with pride.  "I eben colors de boxies!"

The others opened their tins, revealing the bright cookies.  "Every tin was hand-colored by Noko," Remus said, nibbling on one of his cookies.  "Noko also helped mix the cookies, cut them out, and decorated them.  I helped her with the directions and the oven, nothing more."

"Wow, Noko, great job!  These are really good!"  Nods and happy sounds from the people munching on their cookies agreed with what Fred had said.  Noko was wriggling in her seat, a huge grin threatening to break her face in half.

"Can I open mine now?" Draco asked.

Immediately, Noko was at his side, the grin gone.  "Um, yeah, you can open yours, Dayco."  She scuffed a paw on the ground nervously.

Inside Draco's box was a tin of cookies and a lopsided cake.  Draco lifted it out of the box.  It was only about an inch tall and messily frosted with chocolate, but the white frosting words on top rendered him speechless.

_HRPPY_

_B#($*&_

_DRRRO_

On the side, more letters that didn't fit on the top curled around the side.  _O DRY_

"It's apposedta say Happy Birfday Dayco, but I messed up de letters Mooie gaie me, an dey didn' all fit," Noko said apologetically, looking at her hands.  "An it's a tree-layer cake too, onie the layers weren't as tall as I tought dey'd be."  She looked up at Draco sadly.  "I know it looks kinda funny, Daddy Dayco, but I wanned ta make you a birfday cake."

"It's beautiful," Draco whispered.  "I've never had a birthday cake before.  Thank you."

Ron looked at the cake and frowned.  It certainly didn't look like anything special.  Noko had obviously butchered it in her attempt to make it.  However, something clicked in his mind when he saw Draco's reaction.  The blond was tracing the hard white letters with one finger, his grey eyes blinking back what looked suspiciously like tears.  In all his years of fighting Draco, Ron had never seen Draco so – emotional.  The closest he ever came was that one day in the Chamber, after Ron had given George the only antidote they had.  To think, a simple cake could have caused this._  He never had a cake before_.  Suddenly, every little difference in his life and Draco's came rushing back.  Simple things, like a hug each morning or a "Good luck dear!" as he flew his broom for the first time, and larger things, like the huge birthday parties where he was solely important for one day, or the knowledge that any of his brothers would be there to help him if he only asked, suddenly seemed important.  Every bruise he saw on Draco's face while his father was headmaster, every cold mask put in place for protection, all this stood out to Ron now.  _Draco never had any love, any positive attention._  For the first time in his life, Draco wasn't Malfoy, and he wasn't Ferret.  He was Draco, a lost orphan who never really had a family, or anyone, for that matter, to be a good influence.

Ron looked at the present he had for Harry and muttered a quick enchantment to change the name to Draco.  "Happy birthday, Draco," he said, handing the package to him.  Draco looked at him suspiciously, but opened it to reveal a beautiful antique chess set.  Ron smiled as he watched Draco examine the set with awe, tracing the carvings on the board with reverence.  _This must be his first birthday present._

"Thank you, Ron."

_Ron_.  Not Weasel, not a sneered Gryffindor, but Ron.  Ron's grin widened.  "No problem.  I saw that set and just had to get it, but didn't know who to give it to.  You're smart enough to make a good chess player, I'm sure of it."

Later, Ron pulled Harry aside and apologized for the lack of a gift, explaining that he had given it to Draco, and if Harry didn't mind, could he get him a gift later?  Harry laughed.

"Ron, I've been trying to get you and Draco to be closer for _months_!  That's gift enough!"

"But I feel really bad!  Oh, here, why don't you take Draco's present?"  Harry opened the small bag that Ron had originally meant for Draco.  It held an assortment of candy.  "Be careful of wrapped but unlabeled candy.  That stuff's all Weasley Wizards Wheezes that Fred and George gave me."

Harry laughed.  "Thanks Ron.  Happy Christmas."

            Christmas dinner was a smorgasbord of delicious foods.  Mrs. Weasley and Remus had outdone themselves, each trying to cook something better than the other.  As a result, the huge Malfoy banquet table was groaning under the weight of everything piled on it.  Not that anyone minded, of course.

            Bill and Charlie had dropped in around noon, expertly sidestepping the twins who were eager to try out their new candies, and greeted everyone else warmly.  Now they were seated on either side of Fred and George, a barrier between the pranksters.

            After dinner was underway, Draco cleared his throat.  "I'd like to give one last present today, if you don't mind."  He stood and walked over to Remus with a packet of papers.  "After much thought on the subject, I've decided to present you with the deeds to Malfoy Manor."  Remus was speechless as Draco handed him the documents.  "Under one condition.  I want you to make it a refuge house.  Anyone who lost their family or home due to the war must be welcomed here.  The Weasleys can be the first."

            Remus rifled through the papers, noting that they were all in order.  "Draco, this house is worth millions!  You can't just give it away!"

            "I don't want it to be mine," Draco said simply.  "I'll live here, but I don't want to keep it.  I know that you'll be a good influence on it.  Besides, your house is too small for yourself, Sirius, the Potters, the Weasleys, the two younger Votrians, Blaise, Noko, and me."

            Remus shook his head.  "When I first met you, I thought you were just like your father; a stubborn, obnoxious, annoying prat.  I'm thrilled to see I was wrong.  No matter what anyone says about you, Draco Malfoy, you have a heart of gold."

            "Welcome to the Black Sheep Club!" Sirius cried, throwing his arms open.  "Remus is a werewolf, Percy is a busybody, Arthur likes muggles, Charlie likes dragons, ("Nothing wrong with that!"  "Yeah, if you're talking to Hagrid!") Bill looks too punkish for his mum's taste, Fred and George are serious pranksters, Ron's straight, (Ron blushed) Hermione's a goody-goody who breaks the rules, Lucan's a calm Slytherin, Seneca's a smart American, ("Hey!") Molly's a mum, Lily's dead, no offense meant, ("None taken") James is an ex-Marauder-turned-headmaster, Harry's the Boy-Who-Lived, Noko's a wolf-child, Blaise is just weird, (There was general laughter at that) Ginny's a female Weasley child, and then there's me, who's normal, but who hangs out with all of you!" 

            Remus kicked Sirius under the table.  James flung an olive at him.  Noko dumped a bowl of mashed potatoes in Ron's lap and a food fight began.

            When all was said and done, everyone agreed on one thing.

            There had never been a better Christmas.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to write Christmas when it's not Christmas?  It's hard.

The food fight just popped in.

Does anyone read this?  If so, when you review, just say YES somewhere in all capital letters.

DUMBLEDORE

Caribbean – No Votes

Ants – 3 Votes

Amusement Park – 1 Vote

I hope you all liked your birthday presents!

This is getting harder to write, actually.  _To Do It Again_, the sequel, is starting to take shape in my mind, which means I'll be thinking about that, and not this, and everything's going to get mixed together. . .

Oh, wait, one last present!  A teaser for _To Do It Again_!

This is subject to change, but probably won't.

_She hadn't thought she would ever miss his Weasley red hair, but she did.  Weasley red was not merely the color of Ron's hair.  It was a symbol of freedom.  Freedom to be yourself.  Freedom to be normal.  Freedom to walk through the streets without fear._

_Ron's hair was black._

_They were not free._

~Crawler


	12. XFiles

Here's the next part.  I've also written the last chapter, even though there's still a handful of chapters between then and now.  Funny how these stories turn out sometimes.

Back at Hogwarts, after the Christmas holidays.

****

**_The Founders_**

            "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts," Ron sang.  "Why must we return to you and learn some more things?"

            "It's only the first day back!" Hermione protested.  "You shouldn't be ready to return home already!"

            "I'm not," Ron said.  "I just don't want to go to Potions."

            Harry stopped eating suddenly, holding a roll in the air.  "Wow, I just realized something!  This is Remus' _third_ year teaching as a DADA professor, and Sirius' _second_!  And neither has tried to kill me _once_!"

            "Yay!  Go Mooie!" Noko giggled.  "An' Paddy," she added as an afterthought.

            "Guys, I found something!"  Seneca sat next to Hermione, looking very excited.  "When can we meet?"

            "After classes," Hermione hissed.  "Now scat!  You're a Ravenclaw, you don't belong at the Gryffindor table!"

            Seneca pouted but she got up.  "Ravenclaws are no fun.  Hey Noko, want to have lunch with me?"

            "Yeah!"  Noko climbed out of her seat and trotted after Seneca.  "Bye Daddy Hawwy!  Bye My Knee!  Bye Won!"

            "What was that about?" Dean asked.

            "Yeah," Seamus put in.  "You've been ignoring us to hang out with that Ravenclaw, Blaise, and _Malfoy_."  He faked a shudder.

            ""Blaise and _Draco_ actually aren't bad," Harry said, sticking up for his Slytherin friends.  "Draco's been a lot nicer ever since Noko popped up, and Blaise has never been a rotten Slytherin in the first place.  Seneca's been helping with an extra project we've been working on."

            "What project?" Neville asked.  "Can we help?"

            "It's a lot of researching," Hermione quickly explained.  "To find descendants of the original Hogwarts founders.  We're trekking through thousand-year-old books and papers, in the dustiest corners of the library, pulling out huge tomes that reek of mildew and crumble in your fingers as you try to interpret the faded, spidery writing –"

            "Never mind," Dean interrupted hastily.  "You can do it yourself.  Ravenclaws, Hermione, and moldy old books.  A match made in heaven!  Have at it!"

            Seamus clapped a hand on Ron and Harry's shoulders.  "Poor you!  When I'm out flying my broom in the sun, I'll think of you in your dusty corners and laugh."

            "Gee, thanks Seamus."

            "No problem!"

            Potions came and went with ten points taken from Gryffindor for Neville's melting of another cauldron.  Draco and Blaise's perfect potion earned them twenty points, but Ron and Harry's identical appearing potion was criticized for being too runny, losing them another five points.  Neither really cared much though.  Five points wasn't serious, and besides, Seneca would be waiting for them with some new information, hopefully.  Maybe even a way to end the unsettling dreams.

            As they were cleaning up their workspace, they heard a yelp from Draco and Blaise's table.  A glass beaker had slipped from one of their hands and shattered, spraying the two Slytherins with shards of broken glass.

            "Careful!" Snape ordered, whisking the glass away with a sweep of his wand.  "Are either of you two cut?"  Blaise and Draco inspected themselves before shaking their heads.  "Good.  Class dismissed."

            "He seems a bit distracted," Draco muttered.

            "Mm-hmm, yep," Blaise remarked.

            "Blaise?"

            "Broken glass, Draco.  Just like over the summer . . ."

            "Oh, snap out of it, Blaise.  It was an accident this time.  Fudge isn't trying to kill you at this moment."

            "Are you so sure?"

            "Listen, Blaise.  James Potter is almost as strong as Dumbledore.  Hogwarts is still extremely well protected.  There's no way Fudge is getting in here.  Potter knows Fudge isn't on our side anymore.  You don't have to worry about it."

            "Yeah, okay, if you say so."  Blaise agreed with Draco just so he could drop the subject.  They entered the bathroom, being the last ones there.  "So?  What's the news, Sen?"

            "I think I found a lead!  Look, I found this book at the Manor . . ."

            "And you wait until we're back in school to tell us?" Draco asked snidely.

            Seneca rolled her eyes.  "I only found it on the last day when I was poking through the Manor's library.  As I was reading it, there was this one passage that collaborates with the idea Hermione found after we found out that the Manor was Draco's."  She opened the book that Hermione had used and read, "Latent memories, locked away for centuries, are just one of many sources of information in the Divination arts.  These memories most often appear in dreams."

            "So?"  Ron asked.  "Hermione already read that to us.  What's your point?"

            "I'm getting there!"  Seneca put Hermione's book aside and opened hers.  "Listen!  "One argument for the existence of reincarnation lies in the repetition of ancient memories in dreams.  Although rare, it is not unheard of for a witch or wizard (or occasionally muggle) to dream of an event or person that he or she has no prior knowledge of and be able to retain the dream and recount it in a description that matches those given in corresponding records.  Many believe that these dreams are a subconscious recording of a previous life.  The most popular witches and wizards to be reincarnations of are none other than the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, and Godric Gryffindor.""  Seneca closed the book with a snap.  "We're the reincarnations of the founders!"

            "_May be_ reincarnations," Draco corrected.  "We don't know for sure."

            "Actually," Blaise said, "What Sen just read sounds surprisingly familiar.  Remember how my dreams seem to occur more frequently than yours?  Once a night, rather than once a month?  Well, a couple of years ago, my mum took me to all kinds of fortune tellers and Seers, even muggle ones, trying to figure out why I kept having these dreams.  My personal favorite, an old muggle named Madame Morgul, said basically what Sen just read.  She said I was the reincarnated soul of the wizard who I was in my dreams, and that I would continue to live my lives to be killed by my murder until I either atoned for a mistake I made that made him kill me, or I found a way to end the repetition, most likely by killing him."

            "Two sources with similar ideas.  Doesn't that make it true?" Ron asked Hermione.

            "Of course not!  Just because Blaise and Draco say that Snape's nice doesn't make it true!  Just because Fred and George tell you a candy is harmless doesn't mean it is!"

            Seneca frowned.  "If we die, only to get reborn and die again, our birthday should be the exact day of our past life's death, right?"  Hermione nodded.  "Well then, I was born October 31, 1981.  Who died then who was a Ravenclaw?"

            "Halloween '81?" Draco repeated.  "That's only the most famous night in modern magic history."

            "The night Voldemort attacked my family," Harry whispered.  "The night my mum died."

            "Lily . . . maiden name?" Hermione asked, pulling out her copy of _Prefects Who Gained Power_.

            "Evans."

            "Lily Evans," Hermione murmured as she flipped through the book.  "Aha!  As I thought, she received an honorary mention for the protection she put on you.  "Ravenclaw prefect and Head Girl, Lily Evans married Gryffindor prefect and Head Boy James Potter only a year after her graduation.  Moments before her untimely death on October 31, 1981, Lily cast an unidentifiable protection on her young son, Harry Potter, allowing him to defeat the Dark Lord You-Know-Who.""

            "Ravenclaw?" Seneca squeaked.  "I only meant that idea as a joke!  I saw it on _X-Files_ once!  I don't really want to be murdered for something I did in a past life!"

            "_X-Files_?" Blaise questioned.

            "Muggle TV show I watched back home," Seneca informed him.  "Really weird, about aliens and supernatural occurrences."

            "Just because Lily was a Ravenclaw who died on your birthday doesn't mean a thing," Hermione sighed.  "It's probably just a coincidence and we'll be back at square one again."

            "It can't hurt to ask," Ron pointed out.  "We'll ask her about Sen's dreams, see if she had them, and go from there.  I don't know about =the rest of you, but I'd love to find out why I'm having these dreams."

            "Hey, Mum?  Can Sen ask you something?"

            "Of course!" Lily grinned.  "Always happy to help a fellow Ravenclaw!"

            "There was a pause before Draco nudged Seneca.  "Ask!" he hissed under his breath.

            "Um, Lily, Mrs. Potter, I was wondering if you maybe ever had any dreams where you were RowenaRavenclawwritinginyourdiaryandashadowcomesupandkillsyou?" Seneca finished in a rush.

            Lily gasped, one hand flying to her mouth.  "How did you know that?  I never even told Jamie about those dreams!"

Much to my shock and surprise, the X-Files episode that Seneca mentioned does exist.  I saw it by chance after coming up with the whole idea for the story.  The way it used practically the _exact same idea_ was a bit unsettling.  Kinda like something I'd expect to see on X-Files . . . weird.

Anyway, I figured I just had to mention the episode somewhere in the story, even though it's from a newer season without Mulder, and I don't know what it's called, but it's the one with the people who are skinned alive.  Anyone see it?

Oh well.

Dumbledore still needs to be doing something.  Your opinions?  Anything?  Please?

~Spider


End file.
